He is accused of beating a man and lying about it in a police report

A Forest Park police officer who faced federal felony charges that he beat a man in 2003 and lied about it on a police report pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor Friday.

Michael Murphy, 43, of Aurora entered a guilty plea to one count of violating civil rights, a charge originally filed as a felony but reduced to a misdemeanor as part of an agreement with prosecutors. U.S. District Judge David Coar accepted the deal and is scheduled to sentence Murphy on July 9.

Prosecutors said they will recommend Murphy get a year in prison. Murphy, who is on paid administrative leave from the Forest Park Police Department, agreed to resign and never work as a police officer again. Assistant U.S. Atty. Sergio Acosta declined to say why the felony charge was reduced.

Murphy, who had been a police officer since 1990, was accused of dousing Sidney Hooks with pepper spray and beating him with a baton without lawful justification in August 2003. A federal grand jury indicted Murphy in October, and he was placed on paid administrative leave. Murphy also was accused of obstruction of justice after officials said he falsified a police report.

Acosta said Murphy alleged in the complaint that Hooks held out a beer bottle in a bag in a threatening manner. Murphy was scheduled to go on trial Monday.